Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02339789 2005-06-17
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FAST FORWARDING AND REWINDING
IN A VIDEO RECORDING DEVICE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to media viewing devices and, more specifically,
to video
viewing devices. In certain embodiments, the present invention may also have
application to
audio recording devices.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Video data recorders are well-known in the art. Initially, video data
recorders were
designed to record video signals on video tape and to allow play back of
recorded video signals
from the tape. Of course, video tapes require sequential recording and
playback limiting the
functionality of such machines.
Disk-based video playback machines have been introduced such as video disks
and more
recently digital video disk machines. These machines may be generally
characterized
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as providing a removable randomly accessed disk allow for the storage and
playback of video
signals.
United States Patent No. 5,241,428 (the '428 patent) describes a video
recording and
playback device. The described system provides for simultaneous playback and
recording of
video signals on a randomly accessed recording medium. By allowing
simultaneous recording
and playback of video signals and by allowing for random access of the
recording medium,
additional functionality may be provided beyond that realized by a video tape
recording
machine.
While the '428 patent describes a randomly accessed video recording and
playback
device, it fails to describe or suggest significant functionality which may be
implemented in
such a device.
Thus, what is needed is an improved video data recorder having increased
functionality.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method and apparatus providing for "instant replays" and "quick skip"
functionality in
a medium playback device is described. In the case of an instant replay, under
user control, the
medium playback moves temporally backwards. In the case of quick skip, under
user control,
the medium playback moves temporally forward.
In one embodiment, the temporal movement is based on a predetermined time
(e.g.,
move back 5 seconds, move forward 30 seconds). In another embodiment, the
temporal
movement is based on scene change analysis.
Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention provides a method for
playback of a
medium comprising the steps of (a) playing the medium; (b) allowing a user to
select a
function, the medium being played at a first location at the time the user
selects the function; and
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(c) playing the medium at a second location responsive to the user selecting
the function, the
second location a predetermined distance from the first location.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method for playback of a
medium
comprising the steps of-. (a) playing the medium; (b) allowing a user to
select an instant reply
function, the medium being played at a first location at the time the user
selects the instant
replay function; and (c) playing the medium at a second location responsive to
the user selecting
the instant replay function, the second location a predetermined temporal
distance before the
first location.
In a still further aspect, the present invention provides a method for
playback of a
medium comprising the steps of: (a) playing the medium; (b) allowing a user to
select a forward
function, the medium being played at a first location at the time the user
selects the forward
function; and (c) playing the medium at a second location responsive to the
user selecting the
forward function, the second location a predetermined temporal distance after
the first location.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method of playback of a
medium
comprising the steps of (a) playing the medium; (b) a user activating a
temporal movement
function; and (c) responsive to the user activating the temporal movement
function, temporally
moving through the medium at a first speed if the user activates the temporal
movement function
for a first period of time and at a second speed if the user activates the
temporal movement
function for a second period of time.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method for playback of
medium
comprising the steps of (a) playing the medium; (b) a user activating a
temporal movement
function; and (c) responsive to the user activating the temporal movement
function, temporally
moving through the medium at a first speed if the user activates the temporal
movement function
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for a first period of time and increasing the speed of temporal movement if
the user continues to
activate the temporal movement function for longer than the first period of
time.
In a still further aspect, the present invention provides a method for
playback of medium
comprising the steps of: (a) playing the medium; (b) allowing a user to select
a function, the
medium being played at a first location at the time the user selects the
function; and (c)
playing the medium at a second location responsive to the user selecting the
function, the second
location determined based on examination of frames of the medium.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method comprising:
accessing a
medium at a first point of access; receiving a command from a user; and
accessing the medium
at a second point of access in response to receipt of the command, the second
point of access a
predetermined temporal shift from the first point of access.
In a still further aspect, the present invention provides a method comprising:
accessing a
medium at a first point of access; receiving a command from a user; examining
frames of the
medium in response to receipt of the command to determine a second point of
access, the second
point of access corresponding to a detected scene change; and accessing the
medium at the
second point of access.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus comprising: a
user
interface; a storage medium; and a processor coupled with the user interface
and the storage
medium, the processor to: access the storage medium at a first point of
access; receive a
command from the user interface; and access the storage medium at a second
point of access in
response to receipt of the command, the second point of access a predetermined
temporal shift
from the first point of access.
In a still further aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus
comprising: a user
interface; a storage medium; and a processor coupled with the user interface
and the storage
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medium, the processor to: access the storage medium at a first point of
access; receive a
command from the user interface; examine frames stored on the storage medium
in response to
receipt of the command to determine a second point of access, the second point
of access
corresponding to a detected scene change; and access the storage medium at the
second point of
access.
In a still further aspect, the present invention provides an article of
manufacture
comprising: a machine accessible medium providing content that, when accessed
by a machine,
causes the machine to: access a storage medium at a first point of access;
receive a command
from a user; and access the storage medium at a second point of access in
response to receipt of
the command, the second point of access a predetermined temporal shift from
the first point of
access.
In a still further aspect, the present invention provides an article of
manufacture
comprising: a machine accessible medium providing content that, when accessed
by a machine,
causes the machine to: access a storage medium at a first point of access;
receive a command
from a user; examine frames of the storage medium in response to receipt of
the command to
determine a second point of access, the second point of access corresponding
to a detected scene
change; and access the storage medium at the second point of access.
, , . ".,. ." ,.""~~ ~,.,.., ,. ,
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F3RIEF DESCR1P'1'ION OF THE DRAV'lNGS
Fiburc I is a high Icvel block diagram illustrating a video data recorder of
an
CnlhllCilnl(:rlt Of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a flow diagram a method of user controlled temporal movement
through
medium.
Figure 3 is a flow diagram of a second method of user controlled temporal
movement
ti~rouglr medium.
Ivor case of reference, it might be pointed out that reference numerals in all
of the
.rccornhanying drawings typically are in the form "drawing number" followed by
two digits,
xx; for example, reference numerals on Figure 1 may be numhered ixx; on Figure
3,
reference numerals may be numbered 3xx. In certain cases, a reference numeral
may be
imr~ciuced on one drawing anti tire same reference nun~cral may he utilized on
other
dr.w~inds to refer to the same item.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TFII:
EMBODTMENTS THE PRESENT INVf-.NTION
Blnc~ Din~~ram Arclritectrrre ~l'tlre VDR
Figure 1 provides a high-level block diagram view of a video data recorder
(VDR) as
may utilize the present invention.
A processor 101 is coupled in communication with a channel guide database 103,
a
criteria database 104, video storage 105 (also referred to as tire recording
medium), program
" . v... .~~~.hm,ua~ ,n .n.
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logic memory 102, a video compressor/decompressor 1 12, a video input source
106, a video
output 107, a channel guide data source 109 and a user interface 108.
'I'lre processor 101 may be any of a plurality of commercially available
procesSOrs
such as the a processor from the Motorola 68000 series of processors, a
processor from the
lntc:l 5086 family of processors or a higher level processor such as a
processor from the Intel
1'cntiurnT"r family of processors or from the Motorola PowerPC~r"' family of
processors. The
processor in tire described embodiment acts under program control by a program
stored in
program logic mcrnory 102 to perform functions, such as "fast forwarding" and
"rewinding",
wlriclr will be described in greater detail below.
7'he channel guide data source 109 provides periodic updates to the local
channel
guide database 103. The channel guide data source 109 provides program titles,
start times,
enc) tirncs, channel information and other criteria (such as ratings,
descriptions of shows,
n.rmes of actors, producers, directors, awards and rating information)
regarding channel
programming. Channel guide data sources are available commercially from
'I'VGuideT"', TV
Data, and Tribune media. The channel guide source may be accessed periodically
to obtain
changes and additions over any of a number of communication mediums. For
example, the
channel guide source may be accessed telephonically by a modern connection to
a server or
by receiving broadcasted updates and changes from a source such as satellite
or terrestial
VBI, national pager network or the Internet. 1n other embodiments, the channel
guide source
may be obtained periodically such as by subscription and received on a
recording medium such
as a disk through the mail or other source.
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The video input source 106 may be any of a number of sourcea including cable,
over-
tlrc-air broadcast and satellite. 1n certain embodiments, multiple video input
sources may he
utili~~d. The video output source 107 is typically coupled with a display
device such as a
tclc:viaic~n but may also be coupled with another video data recorder.
The video compressor/decompressor 112 provides for compressing and
d~:coroprcssing the video signal. Any commercially available compression
technology may
he utilii.cd including by way of example MPEG and MPEG I1.
1n alternative embodiments, the data may be received in a compressed format.
In
such an ernbodiment, the compressor may not be utilized or even required and
the
dc:compressor may only be utili2ed to decornpreSS the compressed signals.
Temporal movement throueh the media
Importantly, the disclosed embodiment provides certain user interface
features. For
rxamplc, in the disclosed embodiment it is possible to fast forward and rewind
through
recorded programming.
In one embodiment, the user may increase the rate of fast forwarding and/or
rewinding by continuing to depress the fast forward and/or rewind button for a
period of
time. For example, if the button is pressed instantaneously, the system may
fast forward or
rewind at one speed and the speed may continuously increase the longer the
button is
depressed. This feature is described in connection with Figure ? which
illustrates initia115~
that the medium is playing at a first temporal location, block 201. The user
selects a temporal
movement function (e.g., the fast forward or rewind button on the remote
control), block 202.
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Responsive to selection of the temporal movement function, rate of playback of
the medium
increased to a first rate if the temporal movement function is selected for a
first period of time
and at a second rate if the temporal movement function is selected for a
second period of time,
block 203.
In addition, the described embodiment provides an instant replay function. The
user may
depress the instant replay button and the system will automatically "rewind"
(move the point of
viewing of the programming back in time, e.g., back temporally) a
predetermined amount (e.g. 5
seconds) in the programming.
The described embodiment also provides a function for quickly advancing a
predetermined temporal amount forward (e.g. 30 seconds). In certain
embodiments, the
predetermined temporal amount to move forward is chosen based on the length of
a typical
commercial allowing the user to quickly skip through commercials.
Figure 3 illustrates an overall flow diagram of a method of moving a
predetermined
temporal distance, based on user activation of function. The user function may
be activated, for
example, by the user depressing a button on a remote control device. As is
illustrated by Figure
3, initially, the medium (which is illustrated in the figure as being video
but in alternative
embodiments may be audio or any other type of medium or media) is playing a
first temporal
location, block 301. The user selects a temporal movement function, block 302.
As was just
discussed, the temporal movement may be either a predetermined distance
forward or a
predetermined distance backward. Responsive to the user selecting the temporal
movement
function, the play resumes at a second position temporally forward from or
temporally backward
from the first position.
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g
In both the case of moving temporally forward and temporally backward, the
predetermined period of time may be set by the manufacturer of the device or
may be user
settable.
In an alternative embodiment, the movement backward or forward may be based on
scene change analysis. For example, the "instant replay" function may skip
back to the
immediately preceding scene based on analysis of video frames and attempting
to look for a
scene change.
It is understood that the present invention may be used with different types
of media and
is not restricted to one type of medium.
Thus, what has been disclosed is an improved video data recorder.
